iPhoto tutorial: How to combine multiple photo effects

by Freddie Harrison

Learn how to give your photos a timeless quality by mixing Vignette and Edge Blur effects together with our simple, step-by-step iPhoto tutorial for your Mac.

The current version of iPhoto has an impressive array of tools to help you arrive at the perfect image. The Adjust feature of the Edit pane lets you tweak a selection of parameters including Exposure, Contrast and Saturation, not to mention Temperature, Tint and Definition. It’s the Effects tab, however, that lets you instantly transform your shots into something rather special at the mere click of a button.

Editing in iPhoto is non-destructive, meaning that you can always revert to your image’s original, unedited state. This gives you the freedom to play around with various settings and try out different combinations and degrees of each effect. There are eight different types of effect available in iPhoto’s Edit palette, but for the purposes of this tutorial, we’re going to show you how to apply a combination of Vignette and Edge Blur to give your photos an antique look.

Step 1: Select images

Open up your iPhoto app and select the photos you want to add to your new album. Selected photos will have a yellow border.

Step 2: Create album

To create an album containing the selected images, click the Create button on the right-hand side of the lower toolbar and select Album from the menu.

Step 3: Name album

An untitled album appears in the sidebar. Type a name for your new album and hit Return. Double- click the first shot you want to apply the effect to.

Step 4: Enter Edit mode

Click the Edit button in the bottom-right of the lower toolbar, then click the Effects option at the top of the panel that opens up.

Step 5: Select effect

Select Vignette from the palette of effects. This applies a dark, oval-shaped border to your photo, reminiscent of antique prints from the Twenties.

Step 6: Set Vignette depth

Hover over the number 1 displayed in the effect’s box. Two small arrows will appear. You can click on these to increase or decrease the depth of the effect.

Step 7: Apply Edge Blur

As its name suggests, Edge Blur applies a circular blurring effect to the edges of the image. This pulls the viewer’s focus to the centre of the photo.

Step 8: Set blur depth

Set the depth of the Edge Blur effect in the same way as you did in step 6 for the Vignette depth. Experiment with the effect to get the right results.

Step 9: Next!

There’s no save command as such, so to keep your changes, simply move on to the next photo. Or Revert to Original to start again if you’re not happy.